Bechynella, Biondi, Maurizio & D’Alessandro, Paola, 2010

Biondi, Maurizio & D’Alessandro, Paola, 2010, Revision of the Afrotropical flea beetle genus Serraphula Jacoby and description of Bechynella, a new genus from Western and Central Africa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae), Zootaxa 2444, pp. 1-44 : 28-29

Bechynella gen. n. ( Figs 20 , 83–86 )

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Bechynella bohumilae (Bechyné, 1955: 517) comb. n.: FRENCH GUINEA, Fouta Djallon, Dalaba, 1200 m, 7.vi.1951, Exped. Mus. G. Frey 1951, J. Bechyné leg., holotype and 2 paratypes of Serraphula bohumilae Bechyné, 1955 ( NHMB). Bechynella pallens (Bechyné, 1955: 518) comb. n.: FRENCH GUINEA, Fouta Djallon, Dalaba, 1200 m, 16.vi.1951, Exped. Mus. G. Frey 1951, J. Bechyné leg., holotype of Serraphula pallens Bechyné, 1955 : ( NHMB). Bechynella sesegensis ( Bechyné, 1959: 13) comb. n.: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, Faradje, Nzope (Sesenge), 22.iii.1930, J. Bechyné leg., holotype ( ISNB).

DIAGNOSIS. Bechynella gen. n. was previously confused with the genus Serraphula from which it is easily distinguishable mainly for having: a) apical spur of the hind tibiae short, not serrate ( Fig. 83 ) (in Serraphula hind apical spur clearly serrate and formed by a narrow and laterally bent foil folded in an evident dorsal furrow [ Figs 23–28 ]); b) antennae inserted ahead, near the distal ocular margin ( Fig. 86 ) (in Serraphula antennae inserted medially between eyes [ Fig. 30 ]); c) pronotum shorter (LE/LP ≥ 3.40), laterally clearly subparallel, with anterior and posterior angles bearing a very long seta (in Serraphula pronotum longer [usually LE/LP <3.40], laterally sub-rounded, and without long setae at the anterior and posterior angles); d) first and middle tarsomeres in male ventrally with adhesive setigerous area not visible by means of stereomicroscope and shaped as in Fig. 84 (in Serraphula first and middle tarsomeres in male ventrally with setigerous area clearly visible by means of stereomicroscope and shaped as Figs 77–82 ); e) metafemoral spring attributable to the Chaetocnema morpho-group ( Furth & Suzuki 1998) ( Fig. 85 ) (in Serraphula metafemoral spring attributable to the Psylliodes morpho-group [ Furth & Suzuki 1998] [ Fig. 29 ]). Bechynella gen. n. shows some similarities in external morphology also with the Palaearctic genus Anthobiodes Weise, 1887 . However the latter genus is clearly recognizable for having: a) body shape flatter; b) antennae shorter than body length; c) first metatarsomere shorter, as long as half of hind tibial length; d) apical spur of hind tibiae shorter and less robust.

TYPE SPECIES. Serraphula bohumilae Bechyné, 1955: 517 .

DESCRIPTION. Body shape elongate, little convex ( Fig. 20 ). Head prognathous; antennae in both sexes about as long as body length or slightly longer, inserted ahead, near the distal anterior ocular margin. Pronotum subrectangular, laterally subparallel; anterior and posterior angles bearing a very long seta; procoxal cavities open. Elytra laterally subparallel, basally clearly wider than base of pronotum; elytral punctuation weakly or moderately impressed but clearly arranged in 9 (+ 1 scutellar) regular rows; interstriae flat or subconvex; humeral callus well developed; macropterous wings. Hind tibiae ( Fig. 83 ) externally clearly curved, apically slightly expanded in correspondence of metatarsal insertion; hind tarsi thin and elongate, with first metatarsomere about as long as hind tibia and second metatarsomere longer than third and fourth together; apical spur of hind tibiae simply shaped, not serrate, more or less short but always clearly visible; unguiculi subappendiculate. Metafemoral spring ( Fig. 85 ) attributable to the Chaetocnema morpho-group (cf. Furth & Suzuki 1998; nomenclature as in Furth 1982), with dorsal lobe clearly and regularly curved with very short extended arm; proximal edge of spring not curved and forming an acute angle with proximal-distal axis of dorsal lobe; dorsal edge of ventral lobe gradually tapered apically; proximal angle of the ventral lobe pointed; recurve flange present only in distal part of ventral lobe, little developed and weakly sclerotized (nomenclature as in Furth 1982).

DERIVATIO NOMINIS. The name Bechynella is after Jan Bechyné, late valuable specialist of Chrysomelidae , who described all the species attributed by us to this new genus.

DISTRIBUTION. Western and Central Africa.

NOTES. The species attributed by us to this new genus are: B. bohumilae and B. pallens (Bechyné, 1955: 518 sub Serraphula ), both from Guinea; B. sesegensis ( Bechyné, 1959: 13 sub Serraphula ) from Democratic Republic of Congo.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 20. Habitus of: S. transvaalensis sp. n. (17); S. uysi sp. n. (18); S. wittmeri sp. n. (19); Bechynella bohumilae (Bechyné) (20).

FIGURES 83 – 86. Morphological characters in Bechynella gen. n.: hind tibia of B. bohumilae (Bechyné) (83); ventral side of first anterior tarsomere in male of B. bohumilae (Bechyné) (84); metafemoral spring of B. pallens (Bechyné) (85); head of B. bohumilae (Bechyné) (86).

FIGURES 23 – 30. Morphological characters in Serraphula Jacoby: apical spur of hind tibiae of S. aenea Jacoby (23); ibidem S. audisiana sp. n. (24); ibidem S. elongata Jacoby (25); ibidem S. monticola sp. n. (26); ibidem S. osellai sp. n. (27); ibidem S. puncticollis Bryant (28); metafemoral spring of S. elongata Jacoby (29); head of S. elongata Jacoby (30).

FIGURES 77 – 82. Ventral side of first anterior and middle tarsomeres in male and female of Serraphula elongata Jacoby: male with differentiated adhesive structure (77, 79, 81 – 82); female without differentiated adhesive structure (78, 80).